


Holonet Comments

by Augustine94



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Luke Skywalker, Asexual Relationship, Bi!Mara, Bisexual Character, F/M, ace!luke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 15:11:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6709939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Augustine94/pseuds/Augustine94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Media outlets are terrible, even in the GFFA. The New Republic experiences a data breach, and Mara Jade wants to kill someone. Business as usual.<br/>Set roughly around the same time period as Survivor’s Quest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Holonet Comments

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written as part of the Tumblr blog acesinspace’s April big bang challenge. The accompanying artwork will be linked once it is posted.
> 
> Thanks to Brassmama for betaing!

                He shouldn’t read it.

 _He knew_ he shouldn’t read it.

                If he read every holonet article about himself, he wouldn’t have time for anything else. Apparently being the last of the Jedi and helping blow up two Death Stars to defeat the Empire led to being a celebrity. Or something. He had stopped reading articles about himself a long time ago, but this one had shown up in the news section as “trending,” and the headline had given him a particularly bad feeling about all of this.

                “New Republic Data Breach Reveals Secrets of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker” That didn’t sound good. Leia had been panicking about that data breach last week, someone had hacked old Rebellion data. The security technicians assumed it was the Imperial Remnant, and they had thought the hackers had not gotten what they wanted since they only got as far as the lowest level of social data. It wasn’t even personal communications, just old holos and such. This couldn’t be related, could it?

                Luke tapped the article and found the holo of a younger version of himself grinning back. He was surrounded by friends, his shoulders draped in a flag. Luke recognized the image. It had been taken almost exactly a year after he’d joined the rebellion. Part of Rouge Squadron had gone on a supply run. They returned with the requisitioned supplies, as well as rather large quantities of alcohol to celebrate the anniversary of the Death Star’s destruction. Partway into the celebration Wedge had run back to his X-Wing and returned triumphantly with the flag. He had flung it over Luke’s shoulders, announced that he was the squadron’s ace pilot, and ran off cackling. Luke kept the flag over his shoulders through most of the night. He was pleased that they had thought of him wherever it was they had found it, and he was grateful for their casual acceptance that he would have never expected back home on Tatooine.

                What this image was doing on the holonet was another question entirely. Luke tapped the screen of the datapad to activate the article. The holo of himself was replaced by the holofigures of two well-known holonet gossip reporters, both infamous for being proud of their less than ethical journalism practices. Apparently this warranted an actual news segment rather than an article. A ball of anxiety was steadily growing in his chest. He tapped the datapad again to start the playback.

                “Good evening holonet! Have we got some news for you today!” the male reporter crowed cheerfully.

                The female reporter smirked and spoke in an equally cheery voice. “An anonymous source recently sent us a datachip from the _scandalous_ hack of the New Republic archives last week. We’ve had time to study its contents, and we have discovered some truly shocking things about the heroes of the Rebellion. We now have holos of these dignitaries and decorated war heroes in various compromising positions, but the most interesting thing we learned about the proclaimed Jedi Master himself.”

                “Turns out that those Imperial propaganda packets weren’t totally incorrect, there is something seriously wrong with the Jedi, or at least this Jedi.”

                “In one of the holos we received from our anonymous source you can see the hero of the Rebellion and esteemed Jedi Master Luke Skywalker with a rather interesting piece of drapery. It appears that this holo was taken at some sort of celebration, and he appears to have an ‘asexual’ flag over his shoulders.”

                “It still blows my mind that some human beings say they’re asexual,” the male reporter cut in, “I’d associate that with some other species, Hutts I guess, but humans? Not really.”

                “Well the Jedi always were big on proclaiming their ‘selflessness,’ how do we know this isn’t some big act?”

                The male reporter snorted. “I don’t know any man in his right mind who’d go around saying that. I’d think that would hurt your chances with the ladies.”

                “He’s married now though,” his cohost interjected.

                “Weren’t people saying that marriage was probably a political move anyways? Regardless, I bet his wife has put an end to this nonsense. You know what they say about red headed women.”

                His co-host laughed. “It’s true! And she’s a former Imperial spy no less! I’m sure she’s shown him how to use his lightsaber, if you know what I mean. If she’s not getting any she’ll fix that, or I don’t think she’ll stick around.”

                The sick feeling in Luke’s chest had moved to his throat, and it was becoming difficult to breathe. He’d heard people say things like this before, and he’d certainly worried about this before, but he’d told himself that Mara seemed happy. She was wasn’t she? It didn’t seem like her to not make her displeasure indisputably known.

                “She’s probably already getting it on the side from someone else. Who do you think it is? Want to make a bet?”

                His co-host laughed. “It’s probably a mutual friend of the two of them, so most likely someone among the leaders of the New Republic. I’m sure the inevitable scandal and break up will give us something to talk about for quite a while.”

                “Yes,” he said smirking, “Thank you Master Jedi for making sure we keep getting paid.”

                They both laughed cruelly.

                _Mara would never_ , he told himself. He knew that, but still, the suggestion hurt.

                He felt Mara’s presence rapidly approaching their room. He hastily keyed off the display just as Mara burst in. Luke tried to set down his datapad as casually as possible, but only succeeded in looking deliberately awkward. Mara narrowed her eyes.

                “You’ve already saw it, didn’t you?”

                Luke sighed. He could never fool her.

                “Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to read the holonet comments?”

                “It was a newscast, not comments. Besides, I want to know what people are saying about me.”

                “Fair enough.” Mara cocked her head. “So you didn’t read the comments attached to it?”

                Luke shook his head.

                “Good,” she said. “Don’t.”

                They looked at each other for a moment before Luke broke eye contact with her, scuffing a foot against the floor.

                “Hey,” Mara said, “Are you okay?”

                “I’m fine.”

                “Really,” her tone became reproachful, “because you don’t look like you’re fine.”

                “Sorry, I just-” Luke hesitated. “Mara, are you happy? Am I- enough for you?”

                He felt her rage flare out in the Force, and unconsciously scooched back a little in his chair. While he knew her anger was not directed at him, it was still rather alarming to behold.

                “Mara?”

                She swore colorfully.

                “We are not doing this,” she seethed, stomping across the room and hauling him up out of the chair. She grabbed him by the shoulders and just stared at him for a moment.

                “Uh, Mara?”

                “I love you,” she said fiercely, jabbing a finger into his chest. “I love you for who you are, and I wouldn’t want you to be any other way.”

                She paused, seeming to realize just how angry she sounded. Her face softened, and she released the death grip on Luke’s shoulders. Sliding her hands down his arms, she took his hands in her own. Her presence in the Force imitated the gesture, winding its way around the two of them. The sick feeling in the pit of Luke’s stomach began to subside, replaced by the gentle warmth of her presence. She was quiet for a moment, her hands clasped around his, both real and synthflesh. When she spoke again her voice was soft.

                “Maybe our marriage isn’t like most, but when has our relationship ever been typical? How many marriages consist of the former Emperor’s Hand and the last of the Jedi? How many couples do you know whose first encounter could have very well ended in a murder? Our bond in the Force makes us a hell of a lot more intimate than most couples. I don’t need you to have sex with me to prove anything.”

                “But you want to, don’t you?” Luke said softly, looking down again. “You’re not like I am, you shouldn’t have to-”

                Mara cut him off. “You shouldn’t have to do anything that you’re uncomfortable with. And yes, I’m not asexual like you are, but I’m a big girl and I can take care of myself. You don’t need to worry about it.”

                “You wouldn’t have to worry about it if you were with someone else,” he said, still looking at the floor, now blinking rapidly.

                “With someone else?” She hissed. “Luke I don’t want to be with anyone else, I love _you_. I knew you didn’t want to have sex going in to our marriage. I’ve known ever since our minds linked back on Nirauan. I didn’t have a problem with it then, and I don’t now. You’re more important to me than that is.”

                Luke wanted to believe her, but that’s not what everyone else said. With no frame of reference of his own he wasn’t sure what to believe. He didn’t think Mara would be lying about this to protect him, but all other evidence said that she was.

                “Hey. Look at me.”

                Reluctantly, he did.

                “How long have you been worried about this?”

                His lack of response spoke volumes.

                “Oh Luke,” she murmured, pulling him closer into an embrace.

                “I just want you to be happy. I’m sorry I’m not-” his voice hitched, “I can’t. Well I could, but I-” He was tripping over his words. He couldn’t bring himself to say aloud what he’d been afraid of for so long. No amount of blinking could stop the tears forming in his eyes now.

                “Luke,” her voice had gone very soft. She pulled away from him slightly and reached up to touch his face. “Luke I am happy, I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”

                “But I can’t-”

                “Listen to me Luke. You don’t need to. You’ve given me your love, and that is enough. You’ve shown me compassion since the first time I met you. I was full of anger and violence then, and you had only kindness for me. It wasn’t romantic love then, and maybe our relationship isn’t a typical romantic relationship still, but your love is a powerful force in itself. I don’t need anything else from you.”

                He nodded mechanically. She wasn’t convinced.

                “Come on,” she said, pulling him out of their bedroom down the hall towards their living area. “I’m going to make hot chocolate, and we’ll talk.”

\------------------------

                Were it possible to boil the water from her rage she would have. Those Hutt kriffers. They were several decades too late for that kind of rhetoric. One of the distasteful parts of the Empire had been its intolerance for anything outside the norm, something that had led her to keep her mouth shut about her own attraction to multiple genders while she was the Emperor’s Hand. She had thought this kind of banthashit had died with the Empire. Apparently not. The question was whether or not the public would make a commotion about it, or if all of this would all go away if they laid low for a couple of days.

                It’d better. She hated the media. She would try to be civil for Luke’s sake, but if things got too out of hand she could not guarantee the safety of anyone’s holorecorders from her lightsaber. Those bastards. Who were they to think they had any business discussing her relationship? Why did anyone think the details of her relationship with Luke, especially their sex life and lack thereof, was up for any kind of public commentary?

                Things were so much easier before, she thought idly. During the Empire any kind of discourteous holomedia against government affiliated persons was squashed by an assassin’s blaster bolt. It had been her own blaster bolt several times before. She supposed that wasn’t in the spirit of democracy though. Pity.

                Mara prepared their drinks with a little more force than necessary and headed back to their common area. Luke had seated himself on the couch, still looking glum. She handed him one of the mugs and sat beside him.

                “Stop brooding,” she said, and snuggled up next to him.

                The sat in silence for a while. It didn’t seem like he wanted to talk verbally, so she brushed gently against his presence in the Force asking him to take his shields down.

                He hesitated for a moment, but complied.  Immediately she was awash with his memories. Apparently Tatooine was not particularly hospitable to those who went against the norm either, and he had attracted a lot of unwanted attention for not participating in one of the few popular pastimes out in the desert wastes. It hadn’t helped that he had been poor and rather scrawny too. A few images stuck out. The fist of a brutish looking teen colliding with his jaw. That same brutish teen holding his arms back as a teenage girl approached him with a predatory smirk on her face. Mara was beginning to understand that his hatred of that planet went beyond his teenage wanderlust.

                She broke off the connection and looked at him. His eyes were squeezed shut and his head was drooped. Mara reached out and wrapped her hand around the back of his head, stroking his hair. She leaned forward and rested her forehead against his.

                “I love you,” she whispered. “I love you, and I am happy with our relationship as it is.”

                “I know,” he responded, opening his eyes and forcing a smile.

                They sat there for a moment, Mara still running her fingers through his hair. She could still feel his distress, but it was subsiding a little.

                “It’s late,” she said finally. “We should get some sleep.”

                He nodded, and they made their way back to the bedroom. He was still very quiet as they prepared for bed and it wasn’t until they were curled up together that he spoke again.

                “Mara?”

                “Hmm?” She replied sleepily.

                “Don’t kill anyone over this.”

                She snorted. “Don’t worry, I haven’t done that in years.”

                It wasn’t that the thought hadn’t occurred to her though. It was funny, she decided, as she drifted off to sleep. Their relationship had come a long way. It used to be that she would fantasize about killing him in his sleep, and now she was fantasizing about killing anyone who had a problem with him not sleeping with her.

                She smirked at this twist of fate. Yes, she loved this man, and she loved him for exactly who he was. Holonet be damned.

**Author's Note:**

> All of the things said in the “holonet article” are things I’ve seen either on news media or on social media. There were a lot of other things I thought about putting in but couldn’t actually bring myself to type out.
> 
> In the early phases of writing this fic was jokingly titled- Star Wars: The Wrath of Mara.
> 
> Reviews are love!


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